Scottish Women's Football

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Rangers have confirmed that Welsh international Rachel Rowe will leave the club this summer to return home.

The 31-year-old joined the club last summer and played an integral part in Jo Potter's double-winning side and was also named the PFA's SWPL1 player of the year.

"Firstly, I just want to thank everyone at Rangers for welcoming me to this great club," the midfielder told club media, external.

“Jo put a lot of faith in me bringing me up here and I am grateful for the opportunity to play in front of such fantastic fans during my time in Scotland.

“I hold my loved ones very close to my heart and it is what brings me ultimate happiness. This past season was amazing, but there was something missing and it was them. Moving closer to home will give me more balance and that’s what I value the most.

“I would like to thank my teammates for helping me be part of a side that lifted a cup double, and I will be supporting the club and the girls from afar and wish them all the very best for the future.”

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Celtic have confirmed the signing of full-back Amy Richardson from WSL side Everton.

The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with Elena Sadiku's side.

Richardson has previously worked under Sadiku during the manager's time with Everton's women's youth academy.

Commenting on the full-back's arrival, Sadiku told club media, external: "Amy is a really good young player who has the potential to become great with her skills and the mentality of being the best she can be every day.

"I have already coached her during my time at Everton so it’s going to be great to have her in the team and see her develop in our environment."

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Irish international Claire Walsh has put pen to paper on a contract extension at Glasgow City.

The defender played a huge part in City's title-winning 2022-23 season, but missed most of last season through injury.

"I am delighted to extend my stay with Glasgow City," Walsh told club media, external.

"I feel at home at the club and I can’t wait to get going for next season."

Head coach Leanne Ross added: "In the time Claire has already spent here, she has shown the fans the quality she adds to the team on the pitch, whilst we see every day the professionalism, experience and leadership she brings to the dressing room.

"After playing such an influential role in our 2022/23 title winning season, it was a huge blow for us to lose Claire to injury for the majority of last season.

"Having her back fit and ready for the start of next season will feel like having a new signing in the building and be a massive boost to everyone at the club."

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The SWPL recently announced plans to change the size of the top flight from 12 teams to 10, meaning three will be automatically relegated at the end of the upcoming campaign.

Here's some of your thoughts on the matter:

Craig: Awful. You'd think they'd find four more teams to make two leagues of 12. Reducing the league can mean less players in a squad so more international or better players might move abroad for more game time. Very disappointing.

Anonymous: Terrible decision. Can’t believe the rest of the teams in league are happy about this. Surely hinders the development of young players if more having to play in SWPL 2 instead of testing themselves v the best players.

Anonymous: There is no way we can tell the future however this decision feels badly timed and rushed. There is still a need for increased investment to allow the leagues to flourish but this feels like it's a fast track to domination by a small number of teams and that is something most fans don't want to see. If we could see the future, it probably would look like the current status of the men's game in Scotland. Is that what fans want?

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Rio Hardy says she has "unfinished business" in the Champions League and is excited to test herself against the best once again.

It's the first time since 2022 that Rangers will feature in the top European competition after finishing second in the SWPL.

Hardy has Champions League experience with previous club Apollon Ladies.

"I am a winner so I really wanted to come and contribute as much as I possibly could to the team so far," the striker said.

“It was a great experience, obviously you want to test yourself against the best and the Champions League is an opportunity to do that.

“I do feel like I do have a bit of unfinished business, we didn't go as far as we wanted to go in that competition, so I think I am really excited to get back into that next season.”

Strike partner Kirsty Howat, who also experienced the top continental competition with former club Glasgow City, is also excited about a return to Europe's elite.

“It is a really good experience playing in the Champions League and I am really excited to do it all over again with different coaching and playing staff," she told club media, external.

“It is massive for the club; it is where we want to be so to be there again next season is exciting.

“I have loved my time here. I have been here nearly four years now so there is really no place I would rather be and I am happy to be here.”

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Celtic boss Elena Sadiku has made her first summer signing with Hibs midfielder Shannon McGregor joining the SWPL champions.

The 24-year-old has agreed a three-year deal with the Glasgow side after leaving Hibs following the expiration of her contract.

McGregor spent seven years with the Edinburgh outfit, playing 125 matches, lifting the League Cup twice and the Scottish Cup once.

"This is a dream come true for me," she told CelticTV, external.

"I'm a huge Celtic fan so I'm over the moon. It's going to be a huge change for me but it's something I'm really looking forward to.

"The whole set-up at the club seems amazing. I've always looked at Celtic as a team where I really like the style of play and I could always see myself fitting into that positive play."

Sadiku also shared her delight at landing McGregor.

"I’m really excited to have Shannon on board for the next couple of years," the Swede said.

"She’s the right player when it comes to her quality and she has the right mindset to contribute and help the team to achieve more success."

Big changes to come in the Scottish women's game.

The SWPL will switch to two leagues of 10 teams from the 2025-2026 season, reducing the number of matches in the top flight.

Once the two leagues of 10 are established, clubs will meet home and away to complete an initial 18 matches, followed by a top six and bottom four split.

What do you make of the decision? An astute improvement or unncessary tinkering?

Give us your thoughts. , external

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The lack of progress on how to prevent ACL injuries in women players is "unacceptable", says former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton.

Glasgow City pair Kenzie Weir and Fiona Brown - who has suffered the injury for the fourth time in her career - and Hearts' Georgia Hunter are some of the latest players ruled out with the issue.

"We've seen these high-profile injuries across the league again," Crichton told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"It's hard to get away from these discussion points now. There has to be so much more done over the next couple of years. We need to try and fast-track the process in how we nullify these injuries.

"In Scotland it's frustrating and disappointing. Hopefully we start to take it seriously. I still don't think we're doing enough to get it right and make it better.

"We were caught up in the hype of the title race at the end of the season and still found ourselves having these conversations."

Crichton believes the increased international schedule is also a "significant factor".

"It's not helping reduce the statistics around serious injuries. There has to be more done," she added.

"I know there's stuff there in the pipeline but there has to be more. The length of time we're losing players across Europe is unacceptable."

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Martha Thomas' return has brought confidence back to Pedro Martinez Losa's Scotland squad, says Leanne Crichton.

After missing Scotland's opening two Euro 2025 qualifiers - the goalless draw in Serbia and 1-0 home win over Slovakia - through injury the Tottenham striker has returned in style by scoring five in back-to-back wins over Israel.

Four of those goals came in Tuesday's 5-0 thumping in Budapest and the 28-year-old's tally stands at eight goals in her last four Scotland matches.

Speaking on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast, former Scotland midfielder Crichton said: "That first international hat-trick is quite significant.

"You don't score many international hat-tricks when you're a Scotland player, especially now, and it's only going to get tougher.

"We've seen the groups Scotland have been drawn in in qualifying phases. In international tournaments it's unlikely you're going to get those chances.

"I just think the confidence overall has improved with having Martha back in the squad, she's a player who thrives on goalscoring."

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Leah Eddie has relished the learning experience of being part of the Scotland squad over the past week.

The defender, who recently joined Rangers from Hibs, captained the Under-23s in their narrow defeat to Denmark before taking Sarah Ewens' place in the senior squad where she was on the bench for the double-header with Israel.

"I've got a completely different role here than I do with the Under-23s," Eddie told the Scottish FA.

"It's good to be in the leadership group when I'm away with the Under-23s but then come in and get some valuable time with the older players and see how they do things a wee bit differently from the under-23s.

"Even just training alongside the girls, the likes of Rachel Corsie and stuff who are playing at different clubs and even down south, I can learn a lot from it and take that back to the Under-23s as well."

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Scotland "needed" the outstanding performance they delivered against Israel on Tuesday and are heading into the summer on a high, says captain Rachel Corsie.

Four-goal Martha Thomas inspired the Scots to a 5-0 trouncing of Israel in Budapest four days after Pedro Martinez Losa's side tailed off in the second half of a 4-1 win over the same opposition.

With two Euro 2025 qualifiers remaining, Scotland top the group and their only dropped points came in a goalless draw at second-place Serbia.

On the 5-0 win over Israel, Corsie told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast: "I think the biggest message was to try and create clear opportunities.

"Not to force it but give players like Martha Thomas, Kirsty Hanson and Claire Emslie good opportunities.

"You don't want the pressure to be that you need to score a worldie, it's just nice if you can give them an opportunity when you know the odds are they're going to put it away.

"We felt we needed a performance like the one on Tuesday night. It was a really good feeling.

"It was good to see that rhythm, the result, score some good goals and see different people contributing.

"It's been a nice way to go into the summer break. There's still two games to come in July but we've put ourselves in as good a position as we can going into that camp."

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Former Scotland defender Joelle Murray says back-to-back wins over Israel have given Pedro Martinez Losa's side a "big lift".

The Scots followed up their 4-1 home win with a 5-0 victory over the Israelis in Budapest, Hungary, to ensure a play-off spot and stay top of the group, above Serbia on goal difference.

"I think it'll give the girls, the squad, a big, big lift," recently-retired former Hibs captain Murray told the BBC's Scottish Football podcast.

"There was lots of non-football chat prior to both games and the girls showed their professionalism.

"They showed that they can fully focus on the task in hand. And they've done that in emphatic performances, both at Hampden and in Hungary.

"I think these last two games really showed that cohesive performance that we've all been waiting for.

"We know individually there's quality in those players but up until the last two games we've not really seen that kind of cohesion and link-up play."

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Four goals from Martha Thomas drove unbeaten Scotland to a comprehensive victory against Israel that extended their lead at the top of Group B2 in Euro 2025 qualifying.

The Tottenham striker scored two either side of half-time in Scotland's second meeting with Israel in four days behind closed doors.

Thomas slotted the opener in Budapest, Hungary, after another impressive start from Pedro Martinez Losa's side before heading in a second on the end of an outstanding team move.

Her team-mates could have chipped in with a few in between but the striker settled any nerves with a third following good movement and added a fourth with her head.

Once the 28-year-old was substituted, Chelsea Cornet took the reins and emphatically netted her first international goal with a smashed effort late on.

Read the full report here

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Scotland boss Pedro Martinez Losa was delighted with Scotland's performance in their 5-0 victory over Israel.

It was a slow start for the Scots in Budapest but they powered to victory with Martha Thomas scoring four before Chelsea Cornet opened her international account late on.

"We are very happy with the performance and very proud of the team," Martinez Losa said.

"It was a proper team performance with some circumstances to deal with throughout the game but that's what a team is there for.

"The players have shown this level in training and they had the opportunity to show what this team is about and show what they want to be.

"We are more proactive in the final third and Martha is a player who can be very effective from crosses and that's something we managed to do.

"The opponent started with energy and tried to do something different to get something from the game, but we very quickly sped up the tempo of the game we corrected some areas that we struggled in a little bit in the last match and it was an excellent performance.

"The team have been working so hard and I'm so pleased they got the result today because they want to do the nation proud.

"It was very important for us not to concede any goals, be solid defensively and I think we showed that today.

"We were all very disappointed with the goal we conceded at Hampden on Friday but that shows the high standards we have so we were just pleased that today we were capable to keep the ball out of the net."

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The double-header against Israel sandwiched in the middle of the fixture list was always viewed as a must-win pair of games, with the hope of a good few goals too.

Scotland completed the task at hand with relative ease, barring a few scares on Friday which were handled well by Lee Gibson in goal.

Martinez Losa’s side looked back to their old selves. The confidence was no doubt knocked by the poor Nations League campaign and the Pinatar Cup was not as successful on the pitch as some would have hoped.

However, going undefeated in the first four Group B2 games has allowed the Scots to smile again and play some lovely stuff, despite missing key operators.

Across both games, the front three of Hanson, Thomas and Emslie have particularly impressed, and their link-up play has been joyous. They seem settled and connected, which will be key if next summer’s Euros are eventually reached.

With Erin Cuthbert rested, captain Corsie shifted into the midfield and made the position look her own. Her natural instinct to sit deep allowed Sam Kerr to roam forward and influence the top end of the pitch alongside Cornet.

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Liv McLoughlin is looking forward to a "massive" future with Rangers after making her loan move permanent.

The 19-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan from Aston Villa, helping Jo Potter's side to SWPL Cup and Scottish Cup success, and will now be with the Glasgow club until 2026.

“I’m really excited, I think the next few years are massive for me and to be joining a club like Rangers, I can’t wait to get going," McLoughlin told club media, external.

“Coming on loan here and enjoying it so much and playing and being a big part of the team, that has really helped my decision to stay.

“The factors of being so far away from home was playing on my mind, but when you are surrounded by good people in the team it makes it easier.

“I think winning silverware is massive for me and the team, hopefully we can go on to win more next season.”

Head coach Potter says McLoughlin will be a "huge asset" for the club and added: “Liv is someone who fitted seamlessly into the squad and we believe she will only get stronger as she matures and develops."

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Celtic fan favourite Natasha Flint has completed a permanent move to newly-formed American side Tampa Bay Sun.

The English striker spent the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan from Liverpool, scoring 11 goals in 14 league appearances to help Celtic win their first SWPL title.

It was Flint's second loan spell at the Glasgow club and she once again topped it off with silverware, having lifted the Scottish Cup in 2023.

Following the conclusion of her contract with Liverpool, the 27-year-old makes the switch to Tampa Bay Sun ahead of their debut season in the inaugural USL Super League.